Making Waves
by KellyKatt19
Summary: Uzumaki Kushina had always said she wanted to be Hokage. She thought that dream out of reach when her husband got the hat instead; apparently not. Kushina has just been given her newly-deceased husband's job, and that, along with raising her newborn jinchuuriki son, is going to be one hell of a challenge. If anyone's up for it though, it's the Habanero. Konoha's in for a big shock.
1. Chapter 1: Godaime

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any recognizable characters and the original plotline. (Apply to every chapter, because I always forget about it).**

 **AN: I really, probably shouldn't have done this so soon after uploading 'Orange Dawn', but this was another one that was just sitting around on my iPod, and with a second chapter already underway and a plot planned out, what the hell. Upload it. Might as well.**

 **Also, I just read the latest chapter of the Naruto Gaiden, and I had to write more fanfiction to get my mind off of it. I'm sorry to anyone who disagrees, but I am pretending that anything after Chapt.699 of Naruto Shippuden doesn't exist. The end pairings make me mad (well, two of them), even if the kids are cute. And speaking of pairings, this won't have any until much later, if at all, apart from pre-epilogue canon couples like Fugaku and Mikoto, or Shikaku and Yoshino, etc. But if I ever do pair up any of the Rookies, it definitely will not ever be NaruHina or SasuSaku. Just so you know.**

 **Anyway, on with this relatively short chapter!**

* * *

' _Well,'_ Uzumaki Kushina mused to herself. _'That was unexpected.'_

Since she'd first moved to Konoha, when she was only ten years old, Kushina had been determined to earn the respect of her peers. So she'd announced that she was going to become Hokage. Since being the leader of one of the Great Five Hidden Villages went quite nicely with her desire to create peace, the plan seemed pretty good to her. But then Minato-kun had become the goddamn Kiroii Senko no Konoha and single-handedly finished (and won) the Third Great Shinobi War, casually cementing his place as the Yondaime.

Kushina had thought her goal out of reach, which she was perfectly fine with, to be completely honest. If anybody would be able to make Konoha strong again and somehow find peace, it would be Minato-kun. With the help of his lovely wife, of course.

And THEN, the stupid idiot had gone and got himself – alongside Sarutobi-sama – killed! Sacrificed himself like a good little Hokage and left her behind with their newborn jinchūriki son. The days after the bijū had been defeated were a blur to Kushina. She'd looked after her baby boy, tried to put off mourning until the village was in less turmoil, done some recovery of her own (giving birth and having a gargantuan yōko yanked out of her stomach gave her the right to some downtime, Kushina believed), and spent a lot of time with Mikoto.

At least, until the Daimyo arrived in Konoha. She'd gone to see him, knowing that he liked her and wanting to be useful, even if it was just entertaining diplomats. Blah blah blah, they'd talked, she told him about the attack and what Mikoto told her was being done in terms of fix-up, and he'd invited her to the meeting that he was holding with the council and the shinobi with powerful standing. She'd gone in hoping that they wouldn't be stupid enough to give the hat to that Hebi-creep, Orochimaru. She'd come out Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato.

* * *

Kushina slowly made her way through the Uchiha district, intent on getting her son and going home to think. Actually, she'd better grab Mikoto too while she was at it. That woman always helped her to think better, and if she had to kidnap her best friend in order to think, then so be it. After all, she was Hokage, and she could kidnap her shinobi as she liked. Kushina let out a slightly hysterical giggle, causing a few passersby to look at her oddly. Peh. Had they just been made Hokage?! No? Because that was _her_ , dattebane!

Finally she came to the Clan Head's house. Now, did she knock and wait, or did she take immediate action? As if there was ever a choice.

"MIKOTO-CHAAAAAN! GET THE BOYS READY 'CAUSE YOU'RE BRINGING THEM WITH YOU BACK TO MIIIIINE! WE NEED TO TAAAALK!"

There. Kushina rocked back and forth on her heels in satisfaction. That oughta get her moving.

* * *

Sure enough, barely five minutes later, Mikoto came out the front door holding Naruto, followed by five year old Itachi carrying little Sasuke.

"Kushina-chan, what is going on?" Mikoto asked as Kushina swooped in to reclaim her son.

The redhead paused in her cooing and cuddling to send Mikoto a Look. The type of look that told the Uchiha matriarch that Kushina actually did want to have a serious talk, that she was dealing with something huge, and was in danger of being overwhelmed. Somehow, Mikoto didn't think that Kushina had finally given in and started mourning her husband.

All the way from the Uchiha compound to the Hokage's residence, Mikoto wondered what could have happened. She was certain it had nothing to do with Naruto or Minato, or Kushina would have barged her way into Mikoto's home and told all right then and there. She had just come from a meeting with the Daimyo; maybe it was to do with that.

Mikoto followed her friend into the Hokage's residence, vaguely wondering when Kushina would have to move, now that Minato wasn't Hokage anymore.

Kushina stopped once she reached the living room. "Itachi-chan, would you mind watching over both of the boys while I talk with your Kaa-san?"

Mikoto's darling little boy nodded solemnly, large black eyes steady. She sighed quietly. Her precious child was so mature, much too old for his age. That was the price of being an Uchiha clan genius. That was the price of being the Clan Head's firstborn son, and of being born into a world of war.

When Itachi was settled with the two infants in little Naruto's nursery, Mikoto sat comfortably in Kushina's living room and watched the redhead pace. She appeared to be deep in thought, her face a mask of concentration. Mikoto waited patiently, knowing that Kushina probably hadn't thought too much on whatever it was before she showed up at the Uchiha compound, and was likely working it out for herself at the moment. Although Kushina often said that she wouldn't be able to function without either Minato (God rest his soul) or Mikoto, the Uchiha matriarch knew that her friend only really needed them as sounding boards, or trustworthy listeners to her ranting/venting. So Mikoto sat back, and waited until the other woman was ready to share.

* * *

"And then, and THEN, he was all like, 'I am pleased to announce that my decision as to the identity of the Godaime Hokage has been made' and I was just like, oh God, please don't be Orochimaru or Danzō, coz you know they're both shady, Miko-chan. But then he said 'My choice for Godaime Hokage is… Uzumaki Kushina'. That's ME, Mikoto! He made me Godaime!"

Mikoto stared wide-eyed at her friend, who had thrown her hands up in the air and collapsed back into the sofa next to the Uchiha with her last statement. Her brain was having trouble processing the information overload.

The Daimyo. Leader of all of Hi no Kuni. Had made Kushina, KUSHINA. Godaime Hokage. Uzumaki Kushina, the _Akai Chishio no Habanero_ (Red Hot-Blooded Habanero), had just been made the leader of Konohagakure. To replace her deceased husband.

Oh God, poor Kushina had just been given the job her husband had died doing. With that revelation clearing away all confusion – for now – Mikoto reached over and pulled her friend into her, holding the slender redhead close as the realization finally began to settle in and she started trembling.

"I'm the Hokage, Mikoto-chan. Minato-kun has only been gone for a week, and they're giving me his job." Tears were welling up in Kushina's wide violet eyes. It shook Mikoto to the core to see Kushina crying; it had only happened a handful of times in all the years that they had known each other. All her maternal instincts were rising to the fore, and the urge to take the Daimyo to task for his insensitivity was strong. First though, Kushina needed comfort.

"Do not think about it as replacing Minato-kun, Kushina-chan. Think about it as inheriting his dream, as taking up the reins of his cause, now that he can't." Mikoto noticed that the tears were slowing, and the familiar fire was beginning to rekindle in the new Hokage's eyes. "Besides," she added with an unusual twinkle in her Uchiha-black eyes. "Think of all the fun you can have with the council, as the leader of the village."

Mikoto watched in satisfaction as Kushina threw her head back with a triumphant cackle, determination and mischief written all over her face.

This, she felt, would be the start of something big, and beautiful, and absolutely batshit insane. The Uzumaki Era had begun.

* * *

 **AN: So, so, whaddaya think? Let me know if you like the idea, or if you have any suggestions or questions, and if I should continue. Hope you enjoyed!**

 **\- Kelly**


	2. Chapter 2: Reactions

**AN: Wow, this got a lot more attention than I was expecting! Thank you so much to everybody who reviewed/faved/followed! Y'all had my email notifications sounding like crazy. I hope you enjoy this chapter, which is kinda filler, but kinda not.**

* * *

Jiraiya had to admit, of all the possible candidates he'd had in mind for Godaime, Uzumaki Kushina had not been one of them. Of course, thinking on it, the Daimyo had been right on the mark with this decision.

Kushina-chan was strong, possibly the strongest kunoichi in Konoha's current forces bar Tsunade, and everybody in the village knew the fiery redhead didn't take anybody's shit. Actually, he was fairly sure everybody in _every_ village knew of the Akai Chishio no Habanero (Red Hot Blooded Habanero). She was clever, far more so than her explosive persona let on, and she never missed a trick. Her reputation was just as fearsome and widespread as her husband's; Konoha's Habanero was almost as legendary as the Yellow Flash.

Jiraiya chuckled to himself. Just the thought of his dearly departed student's wife being in charge made him kind of want to stick around. The chaos that she was sure to bring!

However, as much as the Gama-Sennin wanted to stay and celebrate with the new Hokage, he had a job to do. He had a duty to ensure that none of the other villages caught wind of just how bad Konohagakure's situation was, and find out if any of them planned to take advantage of this sudden misfortune.

He smirked, dark eyes glimmering with hidden mischief. It would just be a shame that he wouldn't be able to see how those wrinkled old know-it-alls on the council reacted when Kushina-chan put them in their place. Jiraiya had been wanting to do exactly that for years. Maybe he could hang around for just a few more days…

No. Sucky as it was, Jiraiya was the only person with a network wide enough, and the ability to get information back quick enough to be useful in this instance. He would simply have to come back home ASAP and see exactly what changes Uzumaki Kushina had wrought in his absence. He wondered how the villagers would cope with their somewhat crazy new leader.

* * *

Orochimaru seethed. He paced in his hidden laboratory and fumed, imagining all the ways that he could kill that insufferable little Daimyo, and all the experiments that he could do using Uzumaki Kushina's body.

Having his sensei pass him over for that young blond bastard was one thing; even Orochimaru could acknowledge that after the Kiroii Senko won them the war, it only made sense to give him the hat, much as he loathed it. But this! Orochimaru had always hated Hi no Kuni's fool Daimyo, and this decision only cemented it. Once again being denied the hat, being denied the acknowledgement of his skills and prowess, being denied the seat only for it to be given to the little Uzushio no Hime… It was enough to make his blood boil in his veins.

That redheaded brat would feel his wrath.

Oh yes, Orochimaru nodded to himself in satisfaction. Uzumaki Kushina would feel the full extent of his rage… One day.

* * *

"Repeat that again, Mikoto, I don't think I heard you correctly."

Uchiha Mikoto giggled. "Kushina," Fugaku nodded. He had heard that part. "Has been made," yes, that part too. "The Godaime Hokage of Konoha." See, that part there, that was where Fugaku was having trouble understanding.

Uzumaki Kushina – Hokage? He shuddered. The kind of carnage that she would impart on the village if she was left to run things! What was the Daimyo thinking?!

His wife must have read his thoughts, because she tapped his nose reprovingly. "Kushina-chan will make a wonderful Hokage." she told him.

Fugaku stared at her. Was Mikoto insane? Had she been spending too much time with the Habanero? Did she even realize what she was saying?

When Mikoto's pretty porcelain features frowned at him, Fugaku gathered that he must have voiced these thoughts aloud. "You may not personally like her, Fugaku, but you know very well that Kushina-chan is an extremely capable kunoichi, and an excellent leader. She is our new Godaime, and she has one-hundred percent earned that position." Mikoto told him sternly.

That, more than anything, was what made Fugaku really sit back and think about it. Mikoto rarely spoke to him in such a way, so he always paid attention when she did.

So. Uzumaki Kushina. Aside from being loud, impatient, and notoriously short-tempered, what else did he really know about his wife's best friend?

She was one of the few survivors of Uzushiogakure. That Fugaku knew for sure, as Kushina had come running for Mikoto the minute she got the news. And she was indirectly related to the Shodai's wife, so bloodline wasn't a problem (not that that was supposed to be an issue in a shinobi village). She had been married to the Yondaime (a closely kept secret), so she had to have some idea of what the job entailed. The widespread awe and fear of her within the shinobi forces wasn't without cause; her power surpassed even her legendary temper, and she always delivered when she promised someone an asskicking.

Okay, so maybe she qualified on the power spectrum. Uzumaki Kushina was one of the biggest kunoichi powerhouses that Fugaku had ever heard of. But a Hokage had to have more than power. They had to be clever, and cunning, and ruthless. Diplomatic. Patient. All sorts of things that Uzumaki most certainly was not. And no matter what Mikoto said, Fugaku was going to have to see it to believe it in regards to the Habanero's status as Godaime.

* * *

"You have to help me, Kakashi-kun. I don't think I can do this without you and Mikoto-chan."

Kakashi's head was spinning. The young jōnin held his sensei's baby boy on his lap (awkwardly, because he was so terrifyingly small and fragile), and gazed into his sensei's wife's wide violet eyes. Godaime. Minato-sensei's widowed wife was going to be his successor.

"'Kashi-kun?" Kushina questioned worriedly when the cycloptic teen remained silent. "Are you okay?"

"Huh?" Kakashi blushed under the woman's scrutiny. "Oh yes, I'm fine, Kushina-neesama. I was just shocked. And, ano…" He trailed off uncertainly.

"Come on, 'Kashi-kun, you know you can talk to me." Kushina coaxed him.

"Ano, I'm not sure if I should say congratulations or not." Kakashi admitted shamefully.

She laughed, beautifully bright red hair flying as she tossed her head back. Kakashi could definitely see why his amazing sensei had fallen for Uzumaki Kushina. She was life personified. "Oh, Kakashi-kun. You think too hard. Would you mean it?" At his confused, one-eyed squint, Kushina clarified. "If you said it, would you mean it?"

Kakashi barely took a moment to think before he nodded. Of course he would mean it. Kushina-neesama had definitely earned the position, Yondaime's wife or not.

She smiled at him. "Then say it."

For the first time since he had heard of Minato-sensei's passing, Hatake Kakashi gave a genuine smile. "Congratulations, Godaime-sama."

* * *

Homura and Koharu were worried. Uzumaki Kushina wouldn't have been their first choice for the position of Godaime. She had potential, no doubt about it, but she didn't have quite the same leadership quality that Minato had possessed, which made them so accepting when Sarutobi chose the youngster as his successor.

There was also the fact that she was even more foolishly idealistic than Minato and Hiruzen put together. They were not certain that she presently had what it took to run a shinobi village, especially considering they had been at war only a year ago. Kushina was bullheaded and hot-tempered; not exactly the first qualities that one would look for in a Hokage.

Utatane Koharu shook her head slightly, sipping on her tea. "She will not accept advice from us, you realize."

Mitokado Homura inclined his head, frowning pensively. "She had accused us of meddling often enough." Truly, the girl had no sense of tact or diplomacy. "But surely even Uzumaki Kushina would not be foolish enough to think she can run a village on her own?"

"No, I think not," Koharu replied assuredly. "It is not that she will not listen to advice; it is that she will not listen if it comes from us."

Homura hummed thoughtfully. "So who will she listen to?"

"The Jōnin-Commander, certainly. Nara Shikaku has always had a good relationship with her."

"At least he has some sense in his head," Homura sniffed. "Who else?"

"I think Jiraiya and Tsunade go without saying," Koharu told him. "Although they were always just as bad as Hiruzen, at least before Tsunade lost herself." She added disapprovingly.

Homura's lips thinned in displeasure. He could understand the anguish that Tsunade must have felt, losing both her brother and her lover so close together, but that was no excuse for her to abandon her village in their time of need; namely, the Third Shinobi World War, and even now, after the Kyūbi attack. Hiruzen had been far too soft on Tsunade-hime.

"What of the ANBU Commander?" He questioned.

Koharu took another sip of her tea. "She is unaware of his identity at the moment, but that will soon change. I do not think they have had much contact thus far, so it will all depend of her first impression of him. Uzumaki Kushina relies on those, I've noticed." Koharu's distaste was clear.

"Could he be our voice, do you think?" Homura asked doubtfully. The ANBU Commander was an independent man; he would likely not be at all cooperative.

"Doubtful," Homura's female counterpart echoed his thoughts. "Although with luck, he might steer her in the right direction of his own accord."

The old man let out a tired sigh. "We will have our work cut out for us with this one."

* * *

Shimura Danzō didn't think he had ever been quite so infuriated. Namikaze Minato was one thing; he was an idealistic fool, but at least he was somewhat sensible, and able to listen to reason.

His foreigner wife, on the other hand… he didn't know what that senile diplomat was thinking, making the Habanero Hokage! She was a menace! A disgrace! She would run Konohagakure into the ground, trying to be friends with everyone and spreading her desire for peace and harmony.

Danzō scoffed. There was no such thing as harmony in the shinobi world. The girl would learn, one way or another. He would not allow her to weaken Konoha. If that meant leaving the shadows and taking charge of the Great Tree itself, then so be it. His village would remain the strongest, whatever it took.

* * *

 **AN: So, so, let me know what you thought! I hope it wasn't too disappointing after y'all liked the first chapter so much. You know, one reviewer asked how this idea had never been done before, and I was just like "I KNOW RIGHT?!" I had this idea way back when, and between then and publishing the first chapter, still nobody else had written it. It's mindblowing to me.**

 **\- Kelly**


	3. Chapter 3: Secrets

**AN: I AM SO FREAKIN' SORRY! It's been almost two years, what the fuck. My Naruto fics have seriously been neglected, but NEVER abandoned! I've just had other plot bunnies taking over. Thanks so much to the people still reading/following/favouriting, despite the time since my last update. Please enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Kushina stared down at the people of Konoha – _her_ people – and felt warmth rushing through her veins. They had finished gaping at her, and were now cheering, whooping and laughing. There were a few faces Kushina spotted sporting expressions that said they were expecting certain doom, but she didn't mind. They were probably right. Things would definitely be changing around here, and every single person in the village would have to accept it – even if Kushina had to drag them kicking and screaming into her vision of peace.

"Alright, alright!" She called out laughingly. A hush gradually settled over the gathered crowd, and Kushina was once again struck by how much power she held over these people. It was a little terrifying, to be completely honest. "I'm sure most of you never even considered me as the Godaime, and I'm not going to lie, neither did I. However," Kushina let her smile fade, a more solemn expression taking its place. "Just because it was unexpected will not stop me from doing everything I can to be the leader that Konohagakure deserves. I will keep our village safe, and I will keep my people happy – that's a promise, dattebane!"

The village roared. A storm of applause and cheering rose up from the crowd, causing Kushina's smile to come back at full force. It was indescribably amazing, to be the focus of that much positive attention. "Maa," she laughed, gesturing for everybody to calm down. "Thank you all for supporting and having faith in me," Kushina hoped her sincerity was reaching them all. "And I hope that I am deserving of that faith." With that, she turned and walked to where the three Elders were watching her, cocking her head questioningly.

"Good enough for you?" She asked cheekily.

The old bat sighed. "I know that you know we only want what is best for Konohagakure, Godaime."

Kushina narrowed her eyes. "I also know that we have different ideas about what really is best for the village." Seeing the old bastard Danzō open his mouth, no doubt to spout some form of bullshit, Kushina went on. "But let's not get into that yet! It's my first day, I think I've got more important things to do than to argue with you lot." Snickering as three wrinkled faces tightened in reaction to her implied slight, Kushina sailed back inside the tower, heading straight for her new office, where Mikoto was waiting with her baby boy.

* * *

Nara Shikaku was amused. Appointing the Habanero to be Hokage possibly wasn't the wisest decision, but he supported it anyway. Although younger, Kushina and Minato were both people that he had always got along well with, and he was also one of the few people who were aware that the two had married.

He slightly pitied the poor girl, for having to take on the job that had killed her husband, but Shikaku knew she would never accept it. Uzumaki Kushina was a strong kunoichi – _woman_ – and she would do her damnedest to continue what Minato had started.

He knocked on the door to the Hokage's office, grinning despite himself when a cheery voice called for him to enter. Letting himself in, Shikaku wasn't surprised at all to find Uchihas Mikoto, Itachi, and Sasuke also present. Coming to a halt in front of the desk that Kushina was perched _on_ instead of _behind_ , Shikaku dipped into a low bow.

"Congratulations, Godaime-sama."

She laughed, waving him off with a pleased grin. "Thank you, Shikaku-san." The bundle in her arms gurgled and waved its fists around just outside of the blanket, as though it was replying too.

Noticing where his attention had focused, Kushina laughed again. "Would you like to hold him, Shikaku-san?"

Shikaku knew full well that when a woman voluntarily offered up her child for a hold, it was _not_ an offer. He obligingly held his arms out for Kushina to deposit her offspring in, inwardly praying that he wouldn't drop the infant. His own son, Shikamaru, wasn't a very fidgety baby; in fact, Shikaku occasionally found himself checking to make sure the boy was still breathing.

The first thing Shikaku took notice of when Kushina placed her son in the cradle of his arms was the head of tufty blond hair. "He really is Minato's son, isn't he?" Shikaku said when bright blue eyes blinked up at him. There would be no hiding the fact that the Yellow Flash had procreated.

"Mm-hm!" Kushina hummed in agreement. "Even if he didn't look like Minato, I wouldn't have hidden it. They both deserve more than that."

"Not that I don't agree, Godaime-sama-"

"Stop, stop," Kushina interrupted, waving her hands in his face. Mikoto giggled in the background. "Titles only in formal situations. Call me Kushina, Shikaku-san."

He nodded, a wry smile pulling at his lips. "Kushina, then. Are you not worried about Iwagakure's reaction to their most hated enemy's progeny?"

Violet eyes narrowed at him. Shikaku couldn't quite figure out what she was thinking; she wasn't displeased with him (he had a lot of practice reading that expression from Yoshino), but it was rather more intense than he was used to seeing from the lighthearted kunoichi. It was more like… she was examining him?

That was it, Shikaku realized. Kushina was trying to decide if she could trust him or not, which likely meant that he was missing something, a piece of the puzzle. Mikoto, holding baby Sasuke and hovering quietly in the background, obviously already knew what it was.

"We can take care of Iwa, should they try anything," Kushina suddenly stated, apparently having come to a decision. "Those bastards will be the least of my baby's problems."

Iwa was never the least of anybody's problems, in Shikaku's opinion, but whatever Kushina's secret was, it was…

Huge.

Or, more accurately, it was ginormous, nine-tailed, and made entirely of chakra.

Shikaku stared, wide-eyed at the infant in his arms. A jinchūriki. Minato had sealed the Kyūbi into his own son.

"I see you've realized," Kushina said, smiling sadly at her son. "As expected from Shikaku-san."

Shikaku wasn't sure what to say? Like mother, like son? Somehow, he didn't think that would go over too well.

"Does anybody else know?" Was what ended up coming out of his mouth.

Kushina shook her head. "Only Mikoto, Kakashi-kun, and Jiraiya-sensei."

"Are you going to _tell_ anybody else?" The advisory council would be relieved to still have a jinchūriki, Shikaku was certain. Even if he was an infant. But the shinobi… He couldn't predict for certain how the masses would react, should they find out. Glancing at the bundle in his arms, Shikaku felt pity. To be subjected to this kind of life, right from the start – it was beyond cruel.

Then again, Shikaku thought, darting his gaze to Kushina's loving eyes for a split second, maybe it wouldn't be too bad.

Kushina huffed out a breath, moving to sit behind the desk. "I'm still unsure. That's why I called you here. The only people I'm going to tell for sure are the ANBU Commander and our guards, and those stupid old farts on the council. I won't risk them undermining me if they ever found out that I'd kept it from them." She was glowering at one spot on her desk, violet-grey eyes practically burning a hole through the wood.

There was a rustle, and a quiet murmur from behind him, and Shikaku resisted the urge to turn around and see what Mikoto was doing. As it turned out, he didn't need to, because little Itachi had come wandering into sight, far more gracefully than a five year old had any right to be. The Uchiha heir came to a halt in front of the Hokage, staring up at her with large black eyes, and Shikaku had the errant thought that Uchiha Fugaku's child was also far more solemn than he had a right to be. This child, tiny and young as he was, couldn't truly be called a child.

"Kushina-bachan, up."

Shikaku's lips tilted up in an involuntary smile. The kid was pretty cute, and (no doubt taught by Mikoto) knew just how to use that cuteness. Kushina squealed loudly, hands sneaking under the boy's uplifted arms to latch onto his waist, lifting him into her lap. There was no doubt that the five year old was far too intelligent and independent to be using demands often heard from toddlers, but there was also no doubt that it had worked; some of the tension had leaked from Kushina's shoulders as she cuddled the kid.

Now that she was feeling more relaxed, Kushina once again met Shikaku's eyes, smiling wryly. "So aside from those senile old fossils and my ANBU, who else do you think I could tell, Shikaku-san? Or _should_ tell, I guess."

It was a weighty pressure, the Jōnin Commander realized, to be entrusted with such a decision. Having the information was one thing; choosing who to distribute it to was another entirely. "I think you should tell the entire ANBU Corps, Godaime-sama," he spoke slowly, opposing the way his thoughts were racing. "They'll need to be extra alert in his protection, and it's something they'll need to know should any threats to him or the village appear."

Kushina nodded, one corner of her mouth quirking up slightly. "I figured I would have to," she said. "It's going to be different for my poor baby, than it was for Mito-sama and me. We were grown, and understood what we were taking on; it was nobody's business but ours, and whoever else we chose. Besides the Hokage, of course," she added, chuckling lightly. "But for Naruto…"

Shikaku saw her arms tighten momentarily around the child in her lap. He resisted the urge to do the same with Naruto; infants were terrifyingly delicate and he had no idea how to handle them.

"As for the rest of the shinobi, I think that's up to you, Kushina. As the Hokage and his mother, it's your decision if you want people to know his status." Shikaku gently stroked a finger down Naruto's soft cheek and watched crystal blue eyes blink sleepily up at him. "They don't need to know, and it won't change anything if they don't. But it might be a good idea to tell them anyway."

The redhead nodded, absently smoothing Itachi's hair back from his face. "Jinchūriki are, as a rule, not well-treated by the general populace, but if I tell them that I held the Kyūbi before this, they won't really have a leg to stand on, will they? And he's my son; he's genetically predisposed to holding the stupid thing." Kushina shook her head, forcing her unusually bitter expression into something more upbeat. "At least he'll always have us, right, Itachi-chan? My baby won't ever have to be alone."

Itachi inclined his little head. "I'll take care of him, Kushina-bachan."

Both Kushina and Mikoto cooed at the child, and even Shikaku had to admit his heart melted a little. The kid was way too cute to be Fugaku's son.

"Thank you so much, Itachi-chan." Kushina smiled down at the boy she was holding. "No pressure though. You've already got little Sasuke-chan to help look after, after all." And the weight of being the Uchiha clan's heir. Shikaku didn't envy the poor boy; being the head of the Nara clan was exhausting enough and they didn't even _do_ anything.

Mikoto came forward then, moving to stand at Kushina's side. "Could you limit it to just the jōnin, Kushina-chan? And maybe the tokujō as well?"

Nodding thoughtfully, Shikaku elaborated before the Hokage had a chance to answer. "It's a good idea, Mikoto-san. Even if they don't like it, most of our current jōnin forces are professional enough to accept the information without protest. They all know you and Minato as well, so they will have more trust in what you say." It also helped that most of them were scared shitless of the Habanero. They wouldn't dare say a word against her son, for fear of incurring her wrath.

Kushina must have read it in his face, because she laughed lightly. "Okay then; the council, the ANBU, the jōnin, and the tokujō. An S-Rank secret to be kept from anybody outside of those ranks, _especially_ the civilians. They didn't know about me, they don't need to know about Naruto either." She paused, looking down at Itachi once again. "Itachi-chan, I'm sorry to keep asking things of you, but you can't tell anybody about anything we've said here, okay? I know you don't quite get it, but it's what we have to do to keep Naruto-chan safe." Her violet eyes had dimmed a bit, and Shikaku could easily see that she was beating herself up for having this discussion in front of him. He wished she wouldn't; there were two other experienced shinobi here who should also have known better.

"It's okay, Kushina-bachan," Itachi said, turning to gaze straight into Kushina's eyes. "I won't say anything. I'll keep him safe."

None of the adult present realized at that point just how seriously he meant those words.

* * *

 **AN: Okay, so probably not worth a two-year wait, but it's something, right? I pinky promise I won't let another two go by before I update again; I've been on a roll lately with my writing, so hopefully it won't be too long. Don't expect miracles though - I have about a dozen other currently published fics that I'm also trying to work on, as well as a bajillion unpublished ones. Anyway, feedback always welcome! Thanks for reading :).**

 **\- Kelly**


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